By Afshan Ishfaq
What once was a deep-rooted legacy of faith, culture, and intellectual brilliance, is now dissolving into confusion and mimicry. The colonial hangover, despite being dismantled overtly but covertly engraved as “superior” to Muslims of South Asian region. The loss of apparatus and legacies to cultural amnesia belittling izzat, haya, baradari as secondary thought either mocked or misunderstood. Today, the effects are even more visible in the digital sphere. Youth, especially those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, imitate foreign cultures not because they believe in them, but because they associate them with validation and status.
In this vacuum, the craving for modernity has become nothing but mockery. The consumerism, celebrity culture, influencer aesthetics has taken over the social discourse of the nation. Mimicking trends without contextual relevance and causing a deliberate cringe culture. A culture that instigating chaos, degradation and suicide of; wisdom, intellect and identity. This crisis of identity is most apparent in the rise of “cringe content” on social media. When young Pakistanis perform exaggerated, inauthentic versions of Western personas for likes and virality, it is not rebellion - it is survival. With limited opportunities, no strong cultural education, and societal pressure to be "cool" or "trendy," youth turn to imitation as a coping mechanism. Validation becomes a currency when dignity is denied.
Let’s be clear - this is not a rebellion against our roots; it is the result of their neglect. When the system fails to provide economic security, inclusive education, or spaces for cultural pride, identity becomes a costume, not a conviction. The current model of “thinking out of the box” has been misunderstood. For many, it means abandoning tradition entirely. But true innovation does not emerge from rootlessness. It grows when one is so deeply anchored in one’s heritage that creativity becomes a continuation - not a rejection - of legacy.
The version of “change’ prevailing without culturing anchoring, inviting uncontrollable storm of cringe, deprivation and shame. Not knowing how the path igniting a fire via ignorance, yearning for financial motives and materialistic pursuits. These leading to downfall as ummah, and it is silently being observed until the societal collapse. Its all happening due to adoption of pre-packaged western ideals bought in wholesale, instead of creating a modern Muslim discourse.
The social validation loops, promoting hyper individualistic identity. The identity which is curated for likes not for legacy. It is tried and tested that values that doesn’t photographed well within humility, modesty and deep thinking are sidelined. The flinching moment often arises when people imitate cultures or personalities without internalizing their values just to fit into a certain algorithm approved costume.
True change and thinking out of the box are not about abandoning our roots but in watering them so they grow their branches diversely. It is not needed to be an advocate of separate paradigms of neither tradition modernity conclusively. The synthesis that would amalgamate tradition/ historical legacy with modernity for mitigating the prevailing plague. The discomfort while witnessing an unauthentic display of realities.
The solution is to direct ourselves in right way but then there is a question that arises. A guidance and direction to be sought by whom? And how? What’s a call to action? This is a national moment of reckoning. Having enough of the rants and done with cribbing, a door to seek direction is always there as a stubborn hope, we must stop lamenting and start rebuilding - through a structured, rational, and united approach.
Schools must go beyond rote learning. Cultural studies, critical thinking, and comparative worldviews should be part of the curriculum. When children are taught about Rumi, Ibn Khaldun, Syed Ahmed Khan, and Fatima Jinnah alongside Newton and Shakespeare, they begin to value their roots without fearing the world. Revise syllabi to include indigenous thinkers and local histories, including classroom debates, storytelling, and heritage walks to engage students in living history.
Children inherit values not from sermons but from conversations and habits. In homes where parents only speak English and criticize their own language or customs, children learn shame, not sophistication. Promoting the indigenous linguistic and cultural values can never go wrong. Celebrate local festivals with context. Share stories of resistance, resilience, and community from your own lineage.
With thousands of followers comes a moral obligation. Influencers must resist the urge to exploit “cringe content” for quick fame and instead promote pride in originality and cultural depth. Without systemic investment, cultural decay is inevitable. Governments must allocate resources to preserve and promote indigenous arts, youth storytelling platforms, and digital literacy programs that counter mimicry with meaning. Build youth cultural centres, sponsor local filmmakers, and digitize regional literature. Expand platforms like Lok Versa and NAPA to reach the digital generation.
The academic elite must come down from ivory towers and engage with the public. Theory without practice leaves no impact. Publish accessible blogs, start YouTube series explaining cultural theory in local languages, or collaborate with youth organizations to build dialogue around identity and modernity.
Modernity is not mimicry. It is mastery - of your past and your present. We must stop telling our youth that they have to become someone else to succeed. Instead, let’s show them that innovation comes from within, and that rootedness is not a weakness - it is their greatest strength. If we continue down this path of uncritical imitation, if we reclaim our narratives, invest in cultural education, and reimagine tradition as a living force, we will empower a generation that is confident, creative, and culturally complete.
The question isn’t whether our youth will choose an identity. They already are. The real question is: Will we give them the tools to choose wisely?
The writer is an assistant professor at University of the Punjab.